Only You
by TeamSalvatore
Summary: The day Vegetasei was destroyed, a blue-haired Saiyan baby girl was sent to Earth instead of Goku. 20 years later, Prince Vegeta sets out to find the last Saiyan female and revive his empire, only to discover that she is hardly what he expected. AU B/V
1. The Blue Planet

**Chapter 1: The Blue Planet**

***

_It was dawn. The sun was bursting over the horizon, its golden rays shining through the cracks in the stone walls of the castle. A young boy with deep onyx eyes walked swiftly down a winding corridor. He hardly noticed the advancing sunlight , keeping two steps ahead of its rays as they wound and curled behind him, trying desperately to catch up. But he was too quick; he soon disappeared into a section of the castle where the sunlight could not reach. _

_The boy let out a quiet sigh of relief when he arrived at his intended destination and heard movement within. He peeked inside. It was a bedroom chamber upon first glance, though if one took the time to examine it properly, one might take into account the gold and purple draperies, the marble statues, and the glorious portraits of epic, bloody battles hung around the room. A royal chamber._

_The boy pushed the door slowly open as if he expected an unpleasant sight on the other side. "Father?" he called, his voice cracking unexpectedly. _

_The person who answered was not who he expected. _

"_His Majesty has not been in all night." It was the voice of a woman, though not the husky, come-hither drone of a harem girl; it was the haggard voice of a servant. _

"_What are you talking about? I have searched the castle twice over, where else could he be but here?" the young boy hissed in reply. _

"_I am sorry, My Lord," the servant replied, her eyes trained on her feet obediently. _

"_Have you any idea where he could be, then? Or, are you completely useless?" _

_There was a short pause, as if the servant girl was mulling over her reply. Too much time passed, and the boy stamped his foot impatiently, baring his fists towards her._

"_Answer me, wench!"_

"_S-sir, I believe he was going to meet with Lord Frieza to… negotiate a treaty. I know nothing more. Only that…" She trailed off without finishing. _

_The boy's fists lowered to his sides. "Only that he never came back," he finished for her._

***

"We're here!"

Kakkarot's elated announcement drew Vegeta out of an otherwise deep slumber. He was immediately in a bad mood.

"Kakkarot, you idiot! How many times do I have to tell you to keep that loud mouth of yours on mute!" The elder Saiyan hissed as he sat upright in his chair and turned to look out of the window. His bad mood vanished when he saw the distant outline of a tiny blue planet approaching. He smirked. "Earth. Finally."

"Yeah, finally!" said a third party—Nappa. "If I have to spend one more second in here with you guys I'm gonna rip my hair out!"

Laughter burst from the pilot's seat, where Radditz was steering the ship. "Where is this hair you speak of?" he asked between chuckles.

Nappa growled. "Shut up, Radditz! If you weren't driving this junky space ship I would come over there and teach you some manners!"

Radditz laughed again, this time more heartily than before. "Oh dear, how very lucky I am to be immune to the wrath of Nappa!"

"Would both of you shut the_ fuck_ up? I'm going to rip _my _hair out if I have to endure even another second of your pathetic bickering," Vegeta said, seriously regretting the decision to bring along his three comrades. Normally they would have taken separate space pods, but if everything went according to plan, they would be returning with a fifth body. A space ship to fit them all was a necessity.

Vegeta shot a discerning glance at his companions. The four of them were the last Saiyans in the universe: Vegeta, the prince of a fallen race; Nappa, son of the late King Vegeta's most trusted advisor; and brothers Radditz and Kakkarot, two third-class soldiers lucky enough to have been off-planet when Vegetasei exploded. Until very recently, Vegeta had believed there were no other Saiyans left. But then Kakkarot made a very convenient discovery…

"_Hey guys, check this out! It's the space pod they sent me to Planet Darkaan in when I was a baby!" Kakkarot said, smiling from ear to ear as if it were the most pleasing discovery imaginable._

_Frieza had sent the four of them below deck in search of a rebel foot solider, and during their search they came across the storage unit. _

"_Yes, you're lucky they sent you on that mission, brother," Radditz observed. "Or else you would have been blown to bits with the rest of 'em." _

"_Ha! Some mission it was! Planet Darkaan was full of weaklings. That's why they sent you there, Kakkarot, because you couldn't handle much else on your own," Vegeta said with a smirk. _

_Kakkarot hung his head. "I was barely a year old, cut me some slack," he muttered, kicking the side of his old space pod. He was about to abandon his exciting discovery when he noticed a piece of paper neatly folded and tucked away in a side compartment. Curiosity got the best of him, and he reached inside the pod, unfolded the paper, and read it quickly _

"_Woah… hey, Vegeta, you should read this!" he said, holding it up for the elder Saiyan to see. Vegeta rolled his eyes and snatched the paper from Kakkarot's hands._

"_What did I tell you about addressing me so casually? It's _Prince_ Vegeta to a low-class imbecile like you," he said before scanning the piece of paper. It was a document typed on official-looking parchment with a royal letter head and large, bold-faced font. The document simply read:_

**SCHEDULED MISSIONS**

**MISSION #19837**

**Name: Kakkarot**

**Gender: Male**

**Status: Third Class**

**Mission: Darkaan**

**MISSION #19838**

**Name: Kalia**

**Gender: Female**

**Status: Middle Class**

**Mission: Earth**

_It was dated on the same day Vegetasei had been destroyed. Vegeta felt a surge of adrenaline as he began pondering a course of action. Nappa appeared behind Vegeta, trying to get a look at what his prince was reading so intently. "What does that mean?" he asked lamely._

_Radditz, Kakkarot, and Nappa watched for Vegeta's reaction. His eyes were running up and down the paper as if he couldn't fully grasp its meaning, though he knew what it meant with absolute certainty. _

"_There's a female Saiyan still alive," he said. "And she's on Earth."_

The existence of a Saiyan female meant one thing, and one thing only to Prince Vegeta: the continuation of his race. The fact that she was from a middle-class background did not matter to him, though on Vegetasei he would have never mated below his rank. Everything was different now; Saiyans were going extinct. He was willing to do what was necessary to keep his heritage alive. Finding Kalia was the key.

And so, as the blue planet grew larger and larger, Vegeta felt his anticipation grow with it.

***

**A/N: **Look at me, writing yet another B/V fic. You can thank omnipotent Porunga for putting the idea of writing an AU B/V story in my head, haha. Once I read the suggestion the wheels in my head started turning and they just wouldn't stop! I think I'm really gonna enjoy writing this. The chapters are not all going to be this short… this one is kind of an introduction. Chapter two is already half-written.

By the way, Kalia = Bulma, if you hadn't guessed. I got the name "Kalia" from kale, which is a kind of lettuce. I figured I'd stick with the vegetable theme. It makes sense to me that Bulma would have a human name and a Saiyan name, just like Goku did when he was sent to Earth.

Just to be clear regarding what to expect in this story--Bulma is a Saiyan and was sent to Earth instead of Goku when she was born. She and Goku are the same age. Goku (who will be known as Kakkarot throughout this story), Radditz, Nappa, and Vegeta all serve under Frieza. They do NOT know that Frieza destroyed Vegetasei. They do NOT know about the dragon balls. That is the basic premise… More to come. I'm excited about this one, guys! Please shoot me a review if you like what you're reading! :P


	2. The Unwelcoming Committee

**Chapter 2: The Unwelcoming Committee**

***

"You're lucky they didn't send _you_ to this backwater planet, Kakkarot. It's an absolute wasteland!" Radditz said as he and his fellow Saiyan warriors stepped out of their space ship and onto solid ground for the first time in weeks.

They had finally landed on Earth, only to discover that the view of the "blue" planet was very deceiving from space. The surrounding area had been leveled in some sort of explosion, and the ground was covered in ash and rubble. The destruction seemed to stretch on for miles. A quick scan with their scouters told the four Saiyans that there were no living creatures within range. The air was thick with pollution, and there was no plant or animal life at all.

Vegeta soaked in the sight, taking pleasure in every sign of destruction. "Has it occurred to you that Earth is a wasteland because Kalia made it so?" he said. "It was her mission to prepare Earth for takeover, and she did an excellent job here. Not one sign of life for miles!"

"What makes you think she's still even on this planet, Vegeta? I wouldn't want to live here, if I were her…" Kakkarot said, covering his mouth to stifle a cough. The air was practically toxic.

"Yeah, she did a pretty good job wasting this planet, but why the hell did she stay on it?" Nappa wondered aloud, mirroring Kakkarot's behavior as he, too, covered his mouth.

"She must be here. Otherwise, Frieza's men would have found her, just like they found Kakkarot when his space pod returned from Darkaan," Radditz said.

Vegeta nodded in agreement, though he was hiding apprehension behind his stoic face. The planet did not seem fit for life; perhaps she wasn't there after all. "It is likely that her space pod was destroyed upon impact when she arrived here," he reasoned. "And, from what I remember, Earth's technology was painfully ancient. I doubt there were any alternative forms of transportation for her. She was marooned here."

"It's not like she had a home planet to return to, anyway," Radditz said morbidly.

Vegeta ignored Radditz's remark and continued to survey their surroundings. Wordlessly, he lifted into the air and headed eastward. His faithful subjects quickly followed, and each of them kept their heads down and their scouters on, scanning the ground for signs of life. As they flew on, they observed that the rest of the planet was not nearly as haggard as the area they had landed in. The air slowly became more breathable.

"Do you think Kalia knows what she is?" Kakkarot asked his brother, after ten minutes of silent flight.

"She should. She remembered her mission, so it only makes sense that she would remember her origins. Unless someone dropped her on her head, or something," Radditz said.

"Just like your mother dropped you on your head when you were born, Kakkarot!" Nappa said with a cackle.

"Shut it, baldy! She did not drop me on my head!" Kakkarot retorted, turning his nose up defiantly. Nappa was about to counter Kakkarot's insult with a physical attack, but Vegeta interrupted them.

"All of you, shut up!" the Saiyan prince commanded as he came to an abrupt stop.

"Didya pick up something on your scouter, Vegeta?" Kakkarot asked, turning his scouter on automatically. Three small triangles appeared on the screen, each moving steadily in their direction.

"I guess Kalia did leave some earthlings alive," Nappa muttered. "Two of them have a power level around 200. The third one is the weakest, it's about 50."

"Humph. That doesn't make sense; humans are supposed to be supreme weaklings. Their power levels should be no more than five," Vegeta said, scowling.

"Why does it matter? There's no way they can beat us, whether their power levels are five or five-hundred," Radditz said.

"Hey guys, let's land. I'd like to see a human close up," Nappa said with a sinister grin.

The four of them shot to the ground, keeping their scouters pinned on the approaching trio of earthlings. Three figures soon came into view, heading their way on foot. Even from a distance, the Saiyans could tell that the approaching figures were not human, after all.

"Are they _green_?" Kakkarot asked incredulously. "I thought humans are supposed to look like us, without tails?"

"Clearly, they are not human, Kakkarot. That explains their elevated power levels," Radditz said.

As the distance between the Saiyans and the approaching trio grew smaller, it became more and more obvious that they were dealing with an alien species. The three beings stopped when they were about fifty feet away. The smallest one, a stubby pterodactyl-like creature with a long beak spoke first.

"What is the nature of your business here?" he squawked. Kakkarot stifled a chuckle upon hearing the creature's bizarre voice.

Vegeta answered him. "Our business is none of yours. If you three were smart you'd run along; my men haven't annihilated a living creature for quite some time, and I might be tempted to sic them on you."

The small creature gawked at Vegeta's bold words, while the other two burst into fits of laughter.

"I take it you're not from around here!" said the second creature, this one larger and more reptilian in appearance. "This is King Piccolo's land. No one enters here without permission!"

"What's a piccolo?" Kakkarot asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Piccolo is the strongest being in the universe, of course!" the third creature said. This one was the largest of the three, and had sharp horns atop his head and giant, webbed wings flanking his back.

Now it was the Saiyans' turn to laugh.

"Oh really, is that so? Then why is it we haven't heard of this mighty Piccolo?" Vegeta said between chuckles.

The three creatures sneered in anger. "Cymbal, Drum-- these aliens are insolent creatures. Take care of them at once!" the smallest one commanded, clearly not a fighter-type.

Cymbal and Drum turned to meet the Saiyans head-on, dipping into battle stances as they prepared to fight.

"Sweet, me first!" said Kakkarot, volunteering himself. Vegeta stopped him.

"We don't have time to fuck around, Kakkarot! We need to find Kalia and get off this pathetic planet. Finish them quickly," he said sternly.

"Aww, why does Kakkarot always have all the fun?" Nappa whined, looking on in envy as his comrade went up against both creatures at once.

Kakkarot made quick work of the two. Drum rushed at Kakkarot and attempted to land a swift kick to his side, but he simply grabbed the reptilian creature's leg and ripped it clean off. The sound of breaking bones and cartilage bounced off a nearby mountainside and echoed disturbingly. Drum was down.

Cymbal, the winged creature, cried out in anguish and lifted his palm, shooting three carefully aimed chi blasts in Kakkarot's direction. He let them hit, just so he could see the look of shock on Cymbal's face when the smoke cleared and he was still standing. He got his wish; there stood Cymbal, completely flabbergasted that his attack had failed. Kakkarot countered it with a lethal chi blast of his own, and the beam ripped through Cymbal's chest and heart. He was gone in seconds.

The third creature—the leader who could not fight—began to run in the opposite direction, desperate to get away from his attackers.

"Oh, no you don't!" Kakkarot cried. He faded out and appeared directly in front of the little creature, who stopped short and wallowed in fear before him. Kakkarot was about to finish him off when Vegeta stopped him.

"Bring that little imp here, Kakkarot! I have a few questions for him," he commanded. Kakkarot pouted, but did as Vegeta asked and brought the nameless creature over to where his three comrades were standing.

The creature immediately went into groveling mode. "P-please don't harm me! What have we done to you? My brothers, they rushed into battle, they were stupid, but I, Piano, would never do anything like that, I swear it—"

"Stop your babbling. I have only one question for you: where is Kalia?" Vegeta spat, eyeing Piano with annoyance. The little creature looked up at the prince, confused.

"I'm not sure wh-who that is, Mr…. I-I never did catch your name."

"Introductions are not necessary. We are searching for a woman about twenty years old. I do not know what she looks like, but she should have a tail, like this, see?" Vegeta unwrapped his tail from around his waist for emphasis.

A moment of recognition passed through Piano's eyes.

"Oh, you mean her? Yes, she's here, we captured her days ago," Piano said. "You see, she was in hiding. She rebelled against the great King Piccolo, my father, and killed my brother Tambourine. Now Piccolo seeks to destroy her. She is currently locked up at the palace."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Is that so? Well, you can tell your king that I am here to take her off of his hands. And that is not a request, do you understand?"

Piano nodded, shaking from fright. "I understand. The palace is just five miles from here. I can take you, if you like—"

"That will not be necessary. I'm sure we can find it on our own. We're big boys," Vegeta said, and before Piano knew what was happening, his neck had been snapped.

Vegeta turned to his companions wearing a triumphant smirk. "Let's go. We have a damsel to rescue."

***

**A/N: **Alright, so if you haven't seen Dragon Ball, then you won't know who Cymbal, Drum, Piano, and Tambourine are. They are simply King Piccolo's mutant Namekian children. King Piccolo is Piccolo's father. He essentially tries to take over the world in the Dragon Ball series. Well, in my story, he has succeeded in taking over the world. Hopefully that clears up any confusion you may have. Also, sorry about the graphic nature of Kakkarot's attack. Just remember: he is NOT Goku. His personality is less severe than the other three Saiyans, but he is still a lethal killer, just like them. I wanted to differentiate him from the Goku we all know and love. Anyways, thanks to those of you who reviewed the previous chapter. You guys rock! Bulma will be in the next chapter… I promise.


	3. First Impressions

**Chapter 3: First Impressions **

***

Finding the palace was an easy task. It was a vast, stone pillared edifice with a winding foyer wrapped endlessly around it. A giant statue, presumably of King Piccolo, had been erected directly before the entryway. Vegeta surveyed the statue and sneered. "He's only a Namek," he said dismissively.

"Well, that explains the green mutant children," Kakkarot said. "But what is a Namek doing _here_?"

Vegeta's gaze lingered on King Piccolo's obnoxious effigy for a few moments as he contemplated Kakkarot's question. "The Namek must have taken over the planet... And subsequently defeated Kalia," he concluded.

"Does that mean the Nameks purchased the planet from us?" Radditz asked.

"No, our planet was destroyed long before we had the opportunity to sell it. This is a rogue Namek, who probably stumbled across this planet and decided to make berth here. But how any Namek could overthrow a Saiyan, even a female one, escapes me," Vegeta said, scrutinizing the statue now with a hint of apprehension.

Kakkarot walked up to the statue, ran his hands down the gold surface, and cracked his knuckle against the outer shell to test its durability. "Solid gold," he said, and, with a smirk, Kakkarot drew his arm back and punched a hole through the statue's torso. The fixture split in half, but Kakkarot wasn't satsified. He charged his chi and pushed the energy through his palm into the two remaining halves, blasting the statue into millions of tiny gold flakes. The flakes gathered in a plume above their heads, then slowly floated to the ground, glittering in the sunlight as they fell and covering the Saiyans in a golden sheen.

"Hey, we look good in gold," Kakkarot said, grinning boyishly. His comrades were unimpressed with his antics. Vegeta prepared to scold Kakkarot as he tried feverishly to knock the dust out of his hair. "Kakkarot, you pathetically childish excuse for a Saiyan warrior--"

"Uhh, guys? If this planet is taken over by Nameks, then how do you explain _her_?" Nappa said suddenly, interrupting Vegeta's would-be rant. Nappa was pointing towards the far side of the palace, where a small, pale woman was leaning against a tree, staring intensely at the Saiyan quartet. She had dark brown eyes and jet black hair tied behind her head in a messy bun. She wore a loose-fitting, crimson red training gi and a long sword was sheathed behind her back.

"If that's Kalia, I got dibs," Kakkarot whispered aside to his brother. Radditz ignored him.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes in the woman's direction and checked his scouter. "Her power reading is four hundred," he muttered. "Even_ you_ were stronger than that as an infant, Kakkarot. She's no Saiyan."

The woman tensed, having realized that the Saiyans were aware of her presence. She retreated into the surrounding forestry, but their scouters told them she hadn't gone far.

"Should we go after her?" Kakkarot asked eagerly, but Vegeta shook his head. "Forget about her. She's hardly a threat," he said. "We have only one goal. I'm sick of waiting out here like a fool. We will dispose of the Namek, collect Kalia, and destroy this planet on our way out."

Vegeta followed this cryptic statement by checking the readings on his scouter and focusing on two elevated power levels nearby. He levitated into the air and blasted off towards the two large power sources, his comrades habitually trailing behind him.

The scene they witnessed on the other side of the palace was astonishing. A large, magnetized, cage-like contraption was set up in the middle of a barren, empty field. The cage was giving off waves of electricity, sparking and flaring around the prisoner trapped in its nucleus. Even from their distance, the Saiyans could tell that the figure locked within was not the Namek.

The green-skinned alien in question was at the scene, however, standing before the cage and glowering at his prey. King Piccolo wore a smug expression. He was talking to his prisoner, but the Saiyans could not discern the content of his speech at their distance. Between the cage and the Namek, seven small, orange orbs lay together in a circle, glowing spasmodically.

The Saiyans approached quickly, and King Piccolo sensed their arrival a few moments before they landed about twenty feet in away from him. From this viewpoint, Vegeta could more easily make out the caged figure, and he knew with a surge of instinctual impulse that it could only be Kalia.

It was unmistakably her. The reading on Vegeta's scouter was off the charts--certainly she was no human, though her appearance alone might have fooled him. Saiyan females usually had spiky, unkempt hair, just like the males did. _Her _cerulean hair, however, was pin-straight and swept into a perfect ponytail atop her head. Her coloring was unusual as well. Most Saiyan fur was black, brown, maroon, even navy--bright blue was rare, probably characteristic of less than 5% of the Saiyan population, if Vegeta remembered correctly. She had no trace of armor on her body, and wore only a loose-fitting training gi in deep indigo that drastically complemented her azure locks. The only Saiyan thing about her, besides her power level, was the blue tail wrapped protectively around her waist.

Unusual traits aside, she was one of the most breathtaking females Vegeta had ever seen.

And he wasn't the only one looking--Nappa, Radditz, and Kakkarot followed his gaze until they realized what had captured their prince's attention.

"Woah. Fuck, I wish more females had been off-planet when Vegetasei was destroyed," Nappa said, undoubtedly voicing the silent opinions of his three comrades.

Their moment of resolute appreciation was interrupted by the shrill, barking voice that belonged to King Piccolo. "What is the meaning of this interference?" he asked, his attention now solely focused on the Saiyan quartet. Vegeta rolled his eyes. The Namek was on guard, and his power level was steadily rising, but even at level 2000 he was not a force to be reckoned with. It was difficult for the prince to take him seriously at all.

"You have something of ours, Namek," Vegeta said crudely, purposefully failing to address King Piccolo by name. The Namek king sneered.

"If you're talking about the woman, she's mine for the killing," he said, nodding in Kalia's direction. Vegeta's gaze lingered momentarily on her, as she watched the confrontation with confusion and anger. Corresponding with him telepathically, Vegeta ordered Kakkarot to debrief Kalia about the situation and ensure a quick, painless exit from the planet.

Kakkarot nodded and slipped away, unnoticed except by Kalia. Vegeta and King Piccolo's confrontation continued.

"She's not yours. She's Saiyan property, one of my subjects, and I am here to retrieve her. Whatever wrongdoings you are punishing her for can be handled just as sufficiently on my terms, in my domain," Vegeta said, taking a more diplomatic approach in order to avoid another bothersome scuffle.

King Piccolo scoffed. "Saiyan, did you say? You are sadly mistaken, my friend. This female is no Saiyan--never before have I met such a weak opponent. Aren't Saiyans revered for their superior fighting skills?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Vegeta growled impulsively, as if the insult had been directed towards himself instead of Kalia. He wasn't sure if it was pride for his race, or some miniscule ounce of protectiveness his felt towards her, that set off this reaction. He preferred the former explanation.

"You know, I'd really rather not do this the hard way. I just got new gloves, and I'd hate to see what would happen to you if I got them dirty," Vegeta said, though he was already prepping himself for an inevitable, and undoubtedly short, battle.

Meanwhile, Kakkarot had found his way to Kalia without difficulty.

"Hi!" he said cheerfully, the second he was within whispering range. Kalia's eyes widened at his openness, but her surprise quickly dissolved into annoyance.

"What do you want?" she hissed, careful not to press her face too closely against the bars. Upon closer inspection, Kakkarot could see the entire cage was made out of a powerfully bonded chi formation. His attention quickly bounced back to he matter at hand.

"Oh, I'm Kakkarot! We have the same birthday!" he announced, unwittingly saying the first thing that came to his mind. He didn't have much experience with women. Nappa, Vegeta, and his brother usually split the shares between them when they pillaged planets on Frieza's behalf--and Kakkarot was not usually interested in their scraps. Not to mention, Kalia was an unusually beautiful woman, and gloriously undamaged. All that made for a very intimidating encounter, even if she was behind bars.

Kalia stared blankly back at Kakkarot, unsure of how to react to his proclamation. "That's... awesome," she said, her anger decreasing in spite of herself. There was something not quite charming, but pleasant, about this newcomer.

"Oh, erm... you're Kalia, right? I guess I should start out by explaining why I'm even here. We're Saiyans, like you, and we're here to rescue you!" Kakkarot said excitedly. Kalia's anger returned when she heard this.

"Rescue me? Look, Carroto, I don't know who you are or what the hell a Saiyan is, but I don't need your help. My name is Bulma, I live here, and I'm about to save this planet. Don't you see? I have Piccolo right where I want him. I was two seconds away from launching my surprise attack, before you thugs showed up. Get out of here!"

Kakkarot recoiled from the unexpected verbal onslaught, suddenly unsure of what to do. Right as he decided to go back and consult with Nappa and Radditz, the battle between King Piccolo and Vegeta began, and his attention averted immediately towards it. Kalia turned her focus to the battle as well, and a look of pure horror spread across her face.

"His power, that's just not possible! I've never felt anything like it!" she spoke aloud, referring to Vegeta as he matched King Piccolo's attacks elbow for elbow, knee for knee. "There's no way... if he continues like this, he's going to get killed!"

"Aww, don't worry about that, Kalia. Prince Vegeta's one of the strongest warriors in the universe!" Kakkarot said, falsely under the impression that he was soothing her. His words only further increased her agitation.

"I'm not talking about him, I'm talking about Piccolo. He _can't _die--if he does, the dragonballs will disappear forever! I promised Master Roshi I would revive him, and I refuse to fail him."

She seemed to be talking more to herself now than to Kakkarot, which was all good in his opinion--he couldn't understand a word she was saying, anyway. He would have returned his attention back to the battle, but the scene unfolding around Kalia now was much more interesting. The very ground beneath his feet began to shake, and a bright blue chi aura swept up around Kalia's body suddenly, her hair whipping furiously about her face. With her muscles tensed, Kalia slowly, carefully, formed her hands into a circle, as if she were holding a precious item between her palms. She drew her arms back, keeping her fingers connected at the tips, and a small blue ball of energy began to form in her hands. It was tiny at first, but quickly blew up in size, until it nearly consumed her hands. Then she began to speak. Her voice was rigid, controlled, and it reverberated against the confines of her electrical prison as she spoke.

"KAME--HAME--HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

With one glorious push forward, the chi ball in Kalia's hands stretched across the field, breaking her cage open instantly. The pent-up energy went flying across the field, hitting a nearby mountainside. The entire formation crumbled into pebbles. King Piccolo and Vegeta paused to determine where the source of the energy had come from, as did Nappa and Radditz. Kakkarot gaped.

After a silent, apprehensive moment, Kakkarot said with every ounce of enthusiasm he could muster, "I HAVE to learn that!"

King Piccolo screamed in fury. "She escaped! It took me months to recapture her--you will pay for this!" He flew at Vegeta, but the prince was bored, and toying with the Namek lost its charm the second he figured out that that gigantic energy blast had come from _his_ Saiyan female.

Kalia saw it happening before the other three did, because its prevention was the reason she'd broken from her cage. She levitated into the air, towards King Piccolo and Vegeta as they floated hundreds of feet above. She had never flown so fast in her life. "WAIT--STOP!" she screamed, but it was too late. Not fully understanding what Kalia meant, Vegeta lifted his palm towards King Piccolo, released a controlled and lethal energy blast, and disintegrated the Namek into nothingness.

Kalia paused mid-air and stared up at the proverbial dust that had once been her greatest enemy, and she felt tears well in the corners of her eyes. She stayed for a few moments, poised above ground, frozen still. Vegeta shot to the ground first.

"Well, woman, are you going to stay up there forever or are you going to come down here and thank me?" he asked, a smug expression spreading across his face. Kalia was shaking, both from sorrow and anger, as she returned to the ground and stood directly in front of her supposed savior.

Then, she straightened up, narrowed her eyes at Vegeta, and in one fluid motion, punched him forcefully in the jaw. So forcefully, in fact, that it sent him flying towards his unsuspecting comrades.

"YOU IDIOT!" she screamed, so loudly that Kakkarot winced when the pressure of her voice bounced off his eardrums.

Vegeta could only think one thing in the moment before his body connected with Nappa and Radditz: this woman was _crazy_.

***

**A/N: **Yay, an update. I'm almost as excited as you guys are to get back in the saddle. Oh how I wish school & work were more lenient on me... :P

P.S. First person to figure out who is the pale, dark-haired woman the Saiyans saw outside the palace gets a cookie! (metaphorically speaking, of course. Perhaps a shout out at the end of the next chapter is a more accurate description of the prize. Though I'd be happy to send you a cookie via USPS, if it would keep until then, and if you'd be willing to give me your address, and if you like oatmeal raisin.)


	4. Ultimatum

**A/N:** Kalia will hereafter be referred to as Bulma :)

***

**Chapter 4: Ultimatum **

***

Time seemed to stand still the moment Vegeta crashed into Radditz and Nappa, taken off guard by Bulma's furious surprise attack. Kakkarot was frozen in place, wide-eyed, anxious and almost afraid to find out what Vegeta would do when he regained composure. Radditz and Nappa were equally shocked; Vegeta was sprawled across them, spitting dirt from his mouth and growling with untamed fury. They waited respectfully for Vegeta to right himself and stand up; only once he began brushing himself off did they, too, lift themselves from the dust-ridden ground. Nobody said a word for a few moments, and then…

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!?"

Bulma wasn't done. She marched towards the newly-recovered Saiyan prince, who had not a scratch on him, and left only a few inches of space between them. Vegeta reigned in his temper and kept his guard up, aware that she could snap and attack him again at any second. She was visibly upset, and the reading on his scouter showed her power skyrocketing by 500 increments at a time. Her face was twisted in rage and anguish, and she lifted her arm as if to strike him again.

Lightening fast, Vegeta grabbed her small fist before it could connect with his face. He spun her around quickly and caught her in a firm headlock, though he was more careful than he normally would have been with an enemy. She struggled and tried to writhe out of his grasp, though it was in vain; she had reached her peak strength, and it was nowhere close to the power Vegeta could achieve. For the first time, fear flashed behind her bright blue eyes, and she finally calmed down enough to realize that she was facing a very formidable opponent.

"Who… what are you?" she asked quietly, as her rage gradually depleted.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the strange Saiyan woman. "You really don't know?" he asked.

Bulma shook her head wordlessly, eyes widening in alarm. She didn't like the way he had said that; it implied a deeper meaning that she couldn't fully grasp yet. "Can you ease up a little? I'm not a rag doll!" she said, speaking through her teeth.

"If I let you go, will you promise to be good?" Vegeta said, his lips very lightly brushing against her ear. Bulma nodded quietly, though her eyes narrowed in anger and suspicion. Satisfied, Vegeta continued, "Oh, and don't attempt to attack me again. It will only win you a swift and painful retribution."

Vegeta let her go instantly and put a few feet of space between them, though he never let down his guard. Bulma relaxed and turned toward him. She took in her surroundings, paying particularly close attention to the other three Saiyans. She saw Nappa and Radditz for the first time, as they calmly and quietly observed at a respectful distance. Kakkarot was watching from the other side of the field, nearby where Piccolo's cage had been destroyed. There was no hope of escape here--they had her cornered on all sides. Bulma thought it was strange how similar the men appeared. They were all dark-haired and olive-skinned, muscular, with very severe features. The smallest of them, the one who had just reprimanded her, gazed at her intensely, and she felt herself shudder involuntarily. They all looked intense, but his eyes felt like they could see straight through her, like they were piercing her soul. She wanted to look away, but his gaze kept her locked in place. It was eerie, the way Vegeta was silently appraising her as she stood, and she was unsure of what to do or say. She wasn't used to feeling this vulnerable. Finally, she decided to speak.

"So what's your deal?" she said with forced composure.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow at her informal manner of speaking, but opted not to comment on it. "My name is Vegeta, _Prince_ Vegeta to you, and these are my... subordinates," he said, nodding towards Radditz, Nappa, and Kakkarot. "Kakkarot, you've already met, unfortunately. He's the most pathetic one among us. That is his brother, Radditz, and the bald one is Nappa."

Bulma's eyes narrowed at the way Vegeta emphasized _prince_, as if she were one of his subjects. She tried to ignore it, but it grated on her nerves nonetheless.

"I'm Bulma Briefs..." She trailed off, unwilling to offer any more information about herself. When she saw Vegeta's reaction to her name, she was glad she hadn't said anything else; he was visibly aghast upon hearing it.

"What kind of name is that? I've never heard anything like it," Nappa said under his breath to Radditz. Radditz grit his teeth together, but kept his eyes on Bulma and Vegeta. "I don't know," he said. "But it's not Saiyan, I can tell you that."

"Your name isn't Kalia?" Vegeta asked. It was more of an accusation than a question.

Bulma shook her head. "No, the other guy called me that, too. I think you have me mixed up with someone." The thought that these intruders had mistakenly descended upon her made her angry again, and her temper began building. "Whatever planet you guys are from, you should probably go back. You've done enough. You have no idea what you have destroyed today!"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "No, you are Kalia, I promise you that. But it seems you don't remember your real name, and the earthlings gave you a regrettably inept replacement. I'm assuming that your confusion about who and what we are stems from this little memory glitch as well. By chance, did you hit your head as a child?"

Bulma was taken aback by Vegeta's presumptions. He was certain of her identity, and it didn't look like it would be easy to convince him otherwise. "I did hit my head... as a baby, or so my parents told me. What's it to you?" she admitted finally.

Vegeta exchanged furtive glances with his three comrades before addressing Bulma once more. "If you hit your head, forgot your origins and your name, how is it that you still managed to carry out your mission?"

Bulma raised her eyebrows. "What mission? And what does me hitting my head have to do with any of it? I honestly don't know what you're talking about, and I..."

And that's when she saw it: the brown, furry tail wrapped around Vegeta's waist. A quick glance at the other three men, and Bulma's fears were realized; they each had tails, just like her. She looked down at her own waist and unfurled her blue tail from it, examining it carefully as if trying to find a distinct difference between hers and theirs. The only difference was the color. Vegeta smirked in satisfaction; she was finally beginning to realize that he was right.

"I don't understand. What the hell are you?" Bulma said, looking up at Vegeta with an almost pleading expression. The Saiyan prince was happy to oblige her curiosity.

"We are Saiyan warriors from the planet Vegeta. The planet no longer exists, however; we come to you from a space shuttle light-years away, where we serve under the command of Lord Frieza. I assume you haven't heard of him."

Bulma shook her head. "But I thought you said you were a prince?"

Vegeta's calm facial expression twisted into a look of annoyance momentarily, though he quickly reverted back to his calm demeanor. "I am the Saiyan prince, but Frieza is not one of us. When Vegetasei was destroyed, only five Saiyans were off-planet. Until recently, I had thought only four of us survived, but then we came across something very interesting..." He smirked, letting it sink in, before elaborating. "You see, we Saiyans are in the business of galactic real estate. We prepare planets to be sold, and then they go to the highest bidder. Of course, in order to sell a planet, it must first be wiped clean of any species that previously inhabited it. Sometimes, it takes many of us to destroy a planet, if its occupants are strong. But for weaker planets, like this one, we send one of our babies to do the job. That's how we knew you were here--we found a summary sheet of all the newborns that had been sent on their missions before our planet was destroyed. Your name was on that list."

Bulma shook her head. What he was saying was utterly absurd--how could she be anything but human? She knew her parents, the great inventor Dr. Briefs and his wife, had found her wandering in the wilderness as an infant. They had taken her in and raised her as their own, until they met their deaths at the hands of King Piccolo. He was after their dragonball collection. Bulma was only 10 when it happened. She had always been uncommonly strong for a human, especially a girl. When her parents died, she set out for revenge--and she met Master Roshi, who taught her how to control and utilize her strength. That was all she knew about her past, and it never occurred to her to be suspicious of her origins until now. She always assumed her real parents had abandoned her. Nevertheless, a huge chunk of knowledge about her past was missing, and here these Saiyans were, claiming they had the information to fill the void.

As realization dawned upon her, so did a sense of absolute horror--because there was no way the Saiyans were there just to let her know where she came from. They wanted something from her. She wasn't sure what it was, but she had a feeling it was something she was prepared to give.

"You believe me now?" Vegeta asked impatiently, his arms crossed. He had watched a flurry of emotions dance across her exquisite features in the past several seconds--fear, anger, bewilderment, disgust--and he knew that she was coming to terms with the revelation. When he'd set out to find her, he certainly hadn't expected her to be suffering long-term amnesia, but it did nothing to change his intentions. She would still serve her purpose--to help him build a new Saiyan army, strong enough to overthrow Frieza and create a new Vegetasei. The thought sent a rush of exhilaration through him. The fact that she was beautiful, albeit a little crazy, was just the cherry on top of his sweet plan.

Bulma shook her head slowly. "I don't... I can't believe it. It's just not possible..."

Vegeta exhaled, and it sounded like some carnal mixture between a growl and a sigh. "Fine. Regardless of whether you believe me or not, you're still coming with us."

Bulma's eyes widened in fear of the unknown. "What do you want with me? Even if I am a... a Saiyan, what good can I accomplish by going with you?"

The bulk of Vegeta's patience had finally escaped him, and his tone became altogether harsh and commanding. "I am through with this interview, woman! I have only one more request of you, if you don't mind. Tell me--who destroyed this planet? Was it your doing, or the Namek's?"

Bulma scoffed. "I didn't destroy anything! This planet was beautiful once, and very alive, before Piccolo came here. He was the one who destroyed it, and we have been fighting him off ever since. And then you come here and blast him into pieces without even blinking." She laughed darkly. "How can I be one of you when I couldn't even beat him? Somehow you succeeded where we have failed for almost ten years."

"We?" Vegeta asked, latching on to the word. "You wouldn't happen to be referring to the pale, sword-bearing woman we saw outside the palace earlier today, would you?"

Bulma became instantly guarded. Whatever these aliens had planned for her, she didn't want to drag her friends into it as well. But Vegeta did not need verbal confirmation; the look on her face was enough.

"And there are two others, am I right?" Vegeta checked his scouter again, and saw that three significantly weak beings were grouped together, hidden nearby. One of the beings was Bulma's female accomplice; Vegeta recognized her power reading.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bulma said, trying to keep herself clam. She knew she had to relax, or she would reveal everything. Vegeta could read her physical reactions all too easily.

Vegeta smirked and tapped his scouter. "You can't lie to me, Kalia. This little device tells me everything I need to know about a being's power level, their distance from me, everything. Your little friends are so close, they can probably hear our every word. It's not polite to eavesdrop. Should I invite them over?"

"NO!" Bulma felt her temper slowly begin to rise again, this time fueled by the obsessive need to protect her friends.

Vegeta cackled with elation, knowing that he found her weak spot. "Your years on this planet have made you soft! A true Saiyan would never fear for the well-being of anyone but himself," he said. "Well, that can be easily corrected. Lesson number one: emotional attachments make you weak! Allow me to rid you of the burden!"

Bulma watched in pure horror as Vegeta took to the sky, heading with uncanny precision towards a small hill behind which she could sense her friends' chi signals. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to follow him. Without a moment's hesitation, she blasted off in his direction, tailing him in seconds. He may have been stronger than her, but she just as fast. Vegeta didn't expect her to catch up so quickly, so when she latched on to his leg and brought him to an immediate standstill, he was more than a little shocked.

She grabbed Vegeta's exposed leg and whirled him around violently, unexpectedly losing her grip as he thrashed around in resistance. He went sailing uncontrollably, and Bulma gasped as his entire body crashed into the very hill she was trying to keep him away from. The hill shook, then slowly began to crumble. Bulma knew she had only seconds. She sped to the other side of the hill, and by the time she came back around, she had three bodies under her arms, carrying them with ease. She shot to the ground and let their bodies slide out of her grasp, thudding gently against the dirt floor.

Vegeta was disoriented, but his armor bared the bulk of her attack. There was a long, jagged crack down the back, rendering the protective coating relatively useless. Vegeta growled imperceptibly to himself. Saiyan women were unpredictably strong, and he noted that this particular woman was prone to violent power spikes. He was on his feet immediately, dusting himself off.

He focused on Bulma, and noticed that she was now flanked by her three weakling friends. One was the dark-haired woman he'd seen before, her hand gripping the sword sheathed around her back, ready to strike. The other two were male--one short, bald, and scowling in his direction. The other was tall, much taller than Bulma, with long, shaggy black hair that cascaded down to his waist and shot out in various directions. He had a long, thin scar down the side of his face. It didn't take Vegeta long to assess that they were both human, their power levels so insignificantly weak that Vegeta hardly took notice of them after that. He focused on Bulma. She had a determined, triumphant smirk plastered on her face, which only served to increase his anger.

Kakkarot, Nappa, and Radditz flew over to join the commotion.

"Check it out, guys!" Kakkarot said, laughing. "Now it's a fair fight!"

Radditz rolled his eyes at his little brother. "Hardly. They're _human_."

"I say we exterminate those two bozos and take the women with us," Nappa suggested, looking between Bulma and the dark-haired woman, unable to decide which to let his eyes rest upon.

"We're not going anywhere with you!" the dark-haired woman said in a harsh voice, speaking for the first time. Bulma glanced at her. "Chi-Chi, keep quiet. We can't mess with these guys!" she hissed. Chi-Chi's eyes widened in apprehension, but the fierce scowl didn't leave her face.

"Bulma, I'm so sorry we didn't come to help you--but you saw what that guy did to Piccolo! We weren't sure if he was an enemy or not, and you told us to stay where we were until your signal..." said the scar-faced man, though he kept his eyes locked on the Saiyan quartet.

"Yamcha, stay quiet! That goes for you too, Krillin, just in case you were planning on adding anything," Bulma said, directing the latter half towards the shorter man. He nodded.

Bulma positioned herself protectively in front of her three comrades, unwilling to allow any harm to befall them. She swore to herself that she would give a new meaning to the phrase "over my dead body" if Vegeta tried another attack.

Vegeta calmed down slightly, but he scowled at Bulma and said, "This is getting ridiculous. You have no choice but to come with us, woman."

Bulma shook her head violently. "I'm not coming with you!" she said, and winced as she added, "Unless you... unless you promise not to hurt my friends. If you do that, I won't fight it."

"Bulma, no!" gasped Chi-Chi, Yamcha, and Krillin in unison. Bulma kept her eyes locked on Vegeta as she whispered, "I'm sorry, guys, but I can't beat him, let alone all four of them. I don't think they want to hurt me. If I go quietly, maybe they'll agree not to hurt you guys, either."

Vegeta growled. "Your pathetic attempts to persuade me may have worked before your attack, Kalia, but not now. You're coming with us under my terms, and I plan on blasting this planet into oblivion once we are safely away from it!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT! My name is Bulma! Bul-_ma_. Get it right! And I refuse to go with you under those conditions!"

Kakkarot intercepted the argument at that moment. "Vegeta, just agree with her already! I'm getting hungry! Plus, don't you want her to cooperate? If she blows our cover, Frieza will kill us all!"

Bulma had a sudden "a-ha!" moment, and Vegeta shot a death glare at Kakkarot for giving her such valuable ammunition.

"Oh, I see," she said. "This all-powerful Frieza guy doesn't know about your little expedition, does he? Well, if you expect me keep this a secret, you're dreaming! Not unless my friends stay safe. That means they come too. It's all or nothing, _Prince _Vegeta."

"This is not open for negotiation, Bull-_ma_! You are coming with us, and your pathetic accomplices are not!" Vegeta seethed. Bulma could sense his power growing along with his immeasurable anger, but she didn't back down. He was going to crack. Kakkarot had given her the necessary tools to throw this situation in her advantage, and she was going to use everything she could to keep herself, and her friends, safe.

"Those are my terms. Take 'em or leave 'em," Bulma said with an air of finality.

Kakkarot eyed Vegeta skeptically, knowing his prince would have to back down eventually. He had purposefully fed Bulma the information about Frieza, knowing it would save her friends. He didn't care about the other two, but it seemed like a waste to kill the one they called Chi-Chi.

Vegeta turned his back on Bulma and went to Nappa and Radditz, consulting quietly with them. Kakkarot joined.

"Do we have enough room for those other three?" Vegeta asked Radditz. The younger Saiyan nodded quickly.

"Yes, but space is very limited. They wouldn't be very comfortable," Radditz said, with an amused glint in his eyes.

Vegeta smirked. "Fine. The woman can have what she wants, for now. I will dispose of the tagalongs as soon as the opportunity presents itself," he said.

"This is great, now I'll have some punching bags to keep me entertained on the ride back!" Nappa exclaimed.

Vegeta ignored him and turned back to Bulma. "Woman," he said. "We have a deal."

***

It took a few hours to figure out how to fit the extra three bodies onto the Saiyan spaceship. Yamcha and Krillin were stuffed into a compartment that normally housed food and water. Bulma and Chi-Chi had seats of their own towards the back of the ship. They knew the Saiyans were monitoring their every word, so they kept their conversation casual.

"So you're an alien, Bulma? That explains a lot," Krillin said, poking his head out of the compartment. "Ouch, Yamcha! Foot in gut!" he added, wincing painfully.

Bulma glanced at him sympathetically before addressing his initial question. "They say I am. I'm not sure if I believe them yet..."

"Well, you _are_ abnormally strong for a human. And the tail, let's not forget that!" Krillin said.

"Who could forget that?" Yamcha asked, trying to keep as much space between himself and Krillin as possible.

Chi-Chi nodded apprehensively, locking eyes with Bulma for a brief moment. "I have a bad feeling about all this, Bulma," she whispered. "You don't even know why they came for you."

Bulma bit her bottom lip, briefly exposing her own worry. "I know, Chi-Chi. But what other choice did I have? I couldn't let them hurt you guys. Now that the dragonb-" She checked herself. "Now that _Piccolo_ has been destroyed, you guys are all I have left. I just can't believe we'll never be able to revive Master Roshi..."

They each nodded solemnly, knowing they had nothing but each other now. Their hope to restore the planet Earth to its former glory was literally in pieces thanks to Vegeta. With the evil half of their creator dead, the dragonballs were nothing more than ordinary stones. Though they were useless, Bulma decided never to tell the Saiyans about the dragonballs--the knowledge that such things could exist was dangerous in the wrong hands.

"Vegeta, we are just barely within Earth's atmosphere. It should be safe from here," Radditz announced suddenly, a devilish smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. Vegeta replied with a grunt. The look on his face did not betray his intentions as he pressed a button on the control panel and went below the ship to the docking area, lowering the cabin door. Vegeta stood firmly on the edge of the entryway, resisting the suction from the surrounding mesosphere. The ship's inhabitants above could not see him as he raised his palm, pointing it towards the Earth's surface.

Above, there was an unmistakable layer of tension thickening the air. Bulma frowned at the way Nappa and Radditz were exchanging knowing glances. Kakkarot's face was twisted into a scowl, but he remained silent.

"What's going on? What is he doing?" Bulma asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Fireworks," Nappa replied with a grin. Kakkarot mumbled to himself in disapproval.

Without fully comprehending Nappa's ambiguous words or Kakkarot's reaction, Bulma and Chi-Chi turned towards the window just in time to feel Vegeta's energy spike dramatically. The energy increase was enough to alert Bulma to his true intentions, but it happened too fast--a giant ball of chi went soaring towards the Earth, penetrating its surface in milliseconds and tunneling deep towards the core. Moments later, the Earth began to shudder and crack, and Radditz kicked the spaceship into light speed before they could be consumed by the impending explosion. The last thing Bulma saw before their final departure was the Earth, engulfed in blinding light, as the fissures on its surface multiplied and deepened like wrinkles upon the face of a centuries-old monarch. And then their surroundings melted away into the black, lonely depths of space, the Earth's remains now hundreds of light-years away from them.

***

**A/N:** Okay, I realize that Bulma being a Saiyan is pretty much the equivalent of turning her into a Mary Sue character. I'm going to try to avoid this as much as possible, but obviously she isn't the same canon Bulma from the series, since she is a Saiyan. But I definitely don't want to make her have any special abilities or superior strength to any of the other guys--she is just Bulma, with the same personality from the series, only as a Saiyan. If you guys notice any obvious Mary Sueishness, please point it out, I'm going to need your help keeping it in check. I'm quickly learning that A/U fanfics are a one-way ticket to OOCs, and that is the last thing that I want. Keep me on my toes, guys! And thanks for reading, as always.


	5. A Shot in the Dark

**Chapter 5: A Shot in the Dark**

***

Bulma and Chi-Chi's mouths hung agape, and Krillin and Yamcha, who could not see the window from their viewpoints, were left with nothing but confusion.

"What happened, guys?" Krillin asked, worry lines etched into his forehead.

Chi-Chi's response was barely audible. "Earth. He... He..." She couldn't finish the sentence--to speak the truth made it real. This was something that couldn't be real. How could one man have the power to destroy a planet as large as Earth? It was impossible, and Chi-Chi refused to breathe the words into reality. Krillin and Yamcha didn't need her to finish the sentence to understand.

Vegeta reappeared from below deck, guarded but satisfied. He predicted that Bulma might attack him, but she remained motionless, not even daring to make eye contact. Vegeta smirked. Nobody--especially a woman, Saiyan or otherwise--would ever gain an advantage over him. It was best that she learned that now, he thought. Nappa and Radditz both cackled with delight when they saw him.

"What a show! Good one, Vegeta," Nappa said, congratulating him. Vegeta waved off his praise and turned to Bulma.

"If I were you, I wouldn't dream of attacking me now," he said, addressing her skyrocketing energy. "This ship can only take so much. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but keeping the Earth in tact was not part of our agreement. Next time, you should be more specific."

He didn't need his scouter to tell him that Bulma was losing control. Her body was convulsing, shaking uncontrollably, and Chi-Chi was at her side, desperately trying to relax her.

"Bulma! Get it under control, Bulma! I know that you're angry, but you need to calm down _now_. This tiny ship can't handle an attack, it'll explode! Look at me, Bulma," Chi-Chi said hysterically, clutching both sides of Bulma's face. But her eyes were unfocused, unseeing--she was beyond reach.

"_Do something_," Chi-Chi hissed, locking eyes with the closest Saiyan to her--Kakkarot. He looked at Vegeta questioningly, as if he were asking his prince permission to intervene. Vegeta nodded once, almost imperceptibly, and Kakkarot sprung into action. He grabbed Bulma's rigid body and struck the side of his palm against her left temple, careful to put just enough force behind the blow to knock her out. She lost consciousness instantly, and he cradled her limp body against his armored chest until he was sure that she was unconscious.

"That did the trick," Kakkarot said, smirking, expecting to receive Chi-Chi's relief and gratitude. Instead, she was horrified, the look on her face a mixture of shock and disgust. Kakkarot frowned as Chi-Chi took Bulma back and laid her gently against her chair.

"What, not even a thank you?" he asked, prompting another scathing look from Chi-Chi.

"Thank you? For _what_? Thank you for blowing up my planet, knocking out my friend, and kidnapping us?" she cried, on the brink of hysteria.

Kakkarot's frown deepened. "Your _friend_ was going to attack Vegeta, and I'm pretty sure the ship was about five seconds away from getting destroyed. I think that means I saved you!"

"Oh, _please_! You only did it to save yourself! Unless you _monsters_ can breathe in outer space," Chi-Chi spat.

Kakkarot emitted a low growl and lurched forward threateningly, but Vegeta intervened, grabbing Chi-Chi by the throat and pinning her against the wall. Yamcha and Krillin tried to help her, but Vegeta kicked the entrance to their crawlspace closed before they had a chance.

"Let me remind you, _wench_, that we didn't need to bring you with us, and believe me when I say we can just as easily dispose of you," Vegeta said through clenched teeth, finally ending Chi-Chi's venomous tirade. He released her and pushed her back into her seat, sealing her in place with a dangerous glare.

She stayed quiet after that, not even daring to speak with Krillin or Yamcha, who now were trapped within their makeshift prison. The boys did not struggle to get out, they did not make a sound, and Chi-Chi prayed that it would stay that way. She knew they weren't stupid--they were outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and out of their league, by all accounts. They were lucky even to be alive. With a shudder, Chi-Chi realized that she was no exception. Her gender might have spared her from the cargo hold prison, but it would not spare her her life.

It was less silent at the head of the ship, where Radditz manned the cockpit and Nappa and Vegeta sat patiently behind him, awaiting arrival to their next destination. They were not reporting straight back to Frieza just yet.

"Hey, Vegeta," Nappa said, lowering his voice to a hushed murmur. "When're we gonna ditch the circus freaks?"

Identifying his reference to Krillin and Yamcha, Vegeta replied lazily, "Keeping the humans around is necessary to ensure Kalia's obedience. Or have you forgotten our plan?"

Nappa chuckled nervously. "Er, well, yeah, I know the plan, but I'm not a hundred percent on the details yet."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "We need Kalia's full cooperation in order for this plan to succeed, Nappa. She has to fool Frieza and his men into believing that she's a weakling woman we picked up for sport during an assignment, which means teaching her to control her chi. If Frieza discovers she's a Saiyan..."

"We're toast," Nappa finished.

"For lack of a better description, yes."

"And the humans?"

"Collateral damage. As long as we keep them alive, we have Kalia's allegiance. If we kill them, we lose it."

"Yeah, but come on, Vegeta! We aren't seriously bringing those clowns back to base with us?"

Vegeta smirked. "Of course we're not."

***

Bulma remained unconscious until the Saiyans made their first rest stop. From the window, Chi-Chi saw they were bound for a planet that looked particularly ominous. From her vantage, it appeared to be a sickly green color, and was shrouded in a dark grey mist. It looked smaller than Earth--not even a quarter of the size, but then, Chi-Chi no longer had a home planet with which to compare it. A pang of loss shot through her at the thought, and she shook it away as the ship entered the foreboding planet's atmosphere, shuddering and jerking from the impact.

Chi-Chi squeezed the side of her chair with one hand, and clutched Bulma's limp body with the other, trying in vain to keep her upright. She was worried her friend had sustained permanent damage to her skull, though she knew from experience that Bulma's head was harder than any precious metal. Still, she should have woken up by now...

"Planet Tekkrin, home to the miserable, misbegotten miscreants of the universe," Radditz announced with a grin, taking pride in his wordplay, as the ship came to a sputtering halt.

"I think you coulda squeezed a few more '_mis_' words in that sentence, bro. How about 'mischievous'? Or 'miscalculating'? 'Mistakenly misshapen misdoers' ?" Kakkarot asked sarcastically as he rose to his feet. He was on the floor again in seconds, as a backhand from Radditz sent him flying into the cargo hold.

"Oh, brother, you read my mind! While you're down there, will you fetch the humans and bring them with us? After you dust yourself off, of course," Radditz said, chuckling to himself as he stepped outside of the ship along with Nappa and Vegeta. Kakkarot cursed under his breath as he unhooked the latch to open the cargo hold door. Krillin and Yamcha spilled out, gasping for fresh air.

"Kami, that was..." Yamcha began, but caught himself when he noticed his audience. Only Kakkarot, Chi-Chi, and a very unconscious Bulma were there to greet him.

"Bulma, what the hell? What happened to her?" Yamcha asked as he frantically scrambled to her side. Chi-Chi shushed him.

"Don't worry, she's fine. Just KO'd. It was... necessary," Kakkarot said, shooting a sideways glance at Chi-Chi. She refused to meet his gaze.

"I felt her power spike," Krillin muttered. "She was about to attack, huh? I wonder why... Oh, well, call me crazy, but it probably had something to do with the fact that OUR PLANET IS GONE."

Chi-Chi's eyes widened in panic as Krillin lost his temper, cheeks flaring and eyes piercing with intensity as he glared pointedly at Kakkarot.

The Saiyan's response surprised them all; he simply shrugged.

"Hey, I know how you guys feel. I lost my planet, too. But if there's one thing to know about Vegeta, it's that he's a proud guy. Destroying Earth was _not_ necessary, but it's an alpha thing. Your Bulma should learn not to fuck with him. He doesn't mess around. Insolence is... well, to him, it's nothing short of a misdemeanor." Kakkarot flashed a grin at his human acquaintances. "Get it? _Mis_demeanor?"

Chi-Chi, Krillin, and Yamcha were much too taken aback to respond, and Kakkarot didn't wait around for their acknowledgement.

"Oh, uhh, you guys are coming with me," he said, pointing to Krillin and Yamcha. "And Chi-Chi, you're staying here."

Chi-Chi inwardly gasped when he used her name, for it was peculiar that he knew it at all, but she swallowed back the surprise. "Is that an alpha order?" she asked, finally daring to speak.

"No. That's a _me_ order. Tekkrin is no place for a lady."

Krillin and Yamcha gulped and followed Kakkarot as he exited the ship with a half-hearted warning to Chi-Chi telling her not to bother escaping. Not that there was anywhere for her to go.

A tiny voice in the back of Chi-Chi's head told her to go after Kakkarot and find out where he was taking her friends, but her fear overrode it. She tried the door anyway; locked from the outside. A glance out of the window rendered little comfort. She could see nothing but darkness.

Beside her, Bulma slowly began to stir...

***

"I'm going to ask this now before we catch up to your less agreeable compadres... Are we gonna die? You can tell me, honest. I can handle it."

Kakkarot rolled his eyes at Krillin's pleadings. "Just keep walkin' straight. You're probably not gonna die. Not yet, anyway."

"And he was so nice back at the ship," Yamcha muttered, looking down at his feet. At least, what he thought were his feet--it was pitch black, and he could hardly see past his own nose. He was starting to feeling anxious, imagining things that might be there with them in the dark. He hoped he would at least sense oncoming danger, if it had a detectible energy signal. The scariest thought to him was that he might be dead before he realized what was happening. But all he sensed ahead were the now distinctive chi signals belonging to the other three Saiyans.

"I tell you, this planet is giving me the creeps," Krillin said. "How can we even breathe out here? It's totally barren. Or, it seems that way. And where's the sun? Even my nose hairs are freezing. Times like these make me regret never growing out my hair. Head hair that is, not nose hair..."

Kakkarot sighed. "Do all humans ramble when they think they're gonna die? Or did I just luck out with you guys?"

Krillin frowned, but didn't have time to work up a reply. Vegeta, Nappa, and Radditz were very close now. Within hearing distance.

"Finally!"

"Took you long enough."

"They're still _conscious_?"

Kakkarot ignored their exultations as he approached, pushing Krillin and Yamcha forward without restraint. "Take 'em," he said, as they crashed to the ground in front of the other Saiyans. "But I think they deserve to know what's going on before we push them down the rabbit hole."

Vegeta scoffed. "Oh Kakkarot, ever the righteous Saiyan. As much you try to hide it, your inferior class always shines through somehow," he said. Radditz growled, more towards Kakkarot's softness than Vegeta's insult.

"Whatever. Do what you want, but they're gonna die here without a little instruction. Kalia wouldn't want that."

"Fortunately, we do not operate based on Kalia's wishes, otherwise we would have returned from Earth empty-handed," Vegeta said, chuckling. "Speaking of, where is the third human? The woman?"

Kakkarot averted his gaze. "Back at the ship. I think we can use her. I mean... I think she can help us keep Kalia under control."

Vegeta rolled his eyes and Radditz and Nappa exchanged knowing smirks. "We can definitely use her," Nappa said with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Vegeta lifted his hand to silence them and looked down at the frightened forms of Krillin and Yamcha. They were huddled together on the floor, eyes flitting around in fear and anxiety, never settling on one specific point. A pathetic display. Of course, their weak eyes would take more time to adjust to this kind of darkness; the absence of a moon did that to a planet. Their chances of survival were dismal, at best.

"I think they can figure it out on their own, don't you, boys?" Vegeta said at last, a smile spreading across his face. Nappa and Radditz nodded in agreement. "Who knows? They might even find something in common with the other prisoners."

"P-prisoners?" Yamcha sputtered.

"This is where you two get off." Without further elaboration, Vegeta set the air ablaze with his chi, finally giving Krillin and Yamcha the chance to observe their surroundings.

The land was barren, as Krillin thought--one big dirt ball of a planet, without even a rock formation or a body of water in sight. The dirt beneath their knees glowed with a grotesque green light against Vegeta's chi.

The temporary illumination lasted only moments, as Vegeta lifted into the air and took off towards the ship. Radditz and Nappa quickly followed, their bodies engulfed in the same glowing energy. Soon, the Saiyans dissipated into three faint, distant glares. Only Kakkarot remained.

"What the hell? Where is everyone going? You're not… you're not just going to leave us here?" Yamcha asked Kakkarot with a horrified, pleading expression.

Kakkarot frowned. He had to catch up with his comrades before they gave him any more grief, but leaving these two humans to fend for themselves on an alien planet seemed like excessive cruelty. Better just to kill them quickly and get it over with, but Vegeta's strict orders kept him from following his usual MO.

"Look, I have to go. Get to shelter before the sun rises…" He rose into the air as he spoke. "You need to make yourselves visible. That's the only way they'll find you."

With that, Kakkarot blasted off in the same direction as the other Saiyans, leaving Krillin and Yamcha in the dark again.

Krillin lurched forward immediately, alight with his own chi as he prepared to follow them. "Come on, Yamcha! We have to fly to the ship before they…"

The ground shuddered, cutting him off, as a small speck of light in the distance lifted into the air and sped upward with incredible force. The Saiyan spaceship.

"… Leave…" Krillin let his chi burn out and fell to his knees. "We're stuck here! We're stuck here, in 10 degree weather! No food, no water… We're gonna die! Those_ b__astards_. Now I wish I'd been on Earth when it blew up!" He smothered his face in his hands, pulling his knees closer to his chest to generate more heat.

Yamcha sighed. "You heard what that Kakkarot guy was saying--I think he was giving us a tip or something. There has to be more people on this planet. Vegeta said something about other prisoners, and Kakkarot told us to make ourselves visible, so they could find us. Maybe they can help?" he said.

"Or maybe he was trying to steer us towards the other _prisoners_ so they can turn us into a nutritious breakfast, Yamcha! This is completely uncharted territory, I mean… where the hell are we?"

"I doubt he's trying to get us killed. The Saiyans need us alive, probably to keep Bulma in check. She'd lose it if she thought we were dead. But I'm guessin' they couldn't let us go with them, we'd compromise their mission, whatever they're planning." Yamcha frowned. "I mean, there was no reason for all four of them to get off the ship, so I'm betting they got off to refuel. Grab some water, some food, maybe? There has to be something on this planet worth salvaging. And we aren't the only people here, which means this planet isn't completely uninhabitable."

Krillin moaned. "Yeah, and they led us here in the dark so we couldn't find our way back to the ship without them. It's like they planned every single part of this, and they weren't even expecting us to come along in the first place. They're crafty. They're good. Did you see how fast they can fly? We're in way over our heads, Yamcha."

Yamcha chuckled. "No kidding. But I'm going to listen to Kakkarot. He said we have to find shelter, we have to be found. Make ourselves visible. I guess that means we have to keep our chi up …"

That made Krillin jump to his feet, though he could still hardly see where his friend was in the darkness. "How long can we keep that up for? The more power we use, the weaker we get. Without food, without water… how long can you last? I don't know if I can make it another hour!"

"What choice do we have? I'm going to fly around and check out the planet. You're welcome to join me," Yamcha said, stepping forward in anticipation.

Krillin grumbled, feeling utterly hopeless. But Yamcha was right. They had one chance for survival, and their choices were anything but autonomous. According to Kakkarot, they had until the sun rose to find a way to live. Krillin shuddered. He didn't want to know what daybreak would bring.

***

Once the ship was securely out of Planet Tekkrin's atmosphere, the Saiyans settled back into their seats. "Next stop, _casa de Frieza_," Nappa muttered, reclining back in his chair.

At the rear of the ship, Chi-Chi worked very hard to conceal her rage. Kakkarot assured her that Krillin and Yamcha were still alive--just imprisoned on a strange, dark planet without any idea of where to go or what to do. The thought was not comforting. Bulma was still passed out, but her body was becoming more restless, twitching and jerking in its unconscious state. Chi-Chi kept her eyes glued to her friend, hoping she would wake up and somehow convince the Saiyans to return for Krillin and Yamcha.

"She's been out for a while," Kakkarot observed. Of the four Saiyans, he was the only one interested in conversation with the humans. The others were stoic, detached.

Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes, but kept them on Bulma. "A brutal attack does that to a person," she said.

Kakkarot groaned. "You're still hung up on that? How did you expect me to help? I seriously doubt she would have benefitted much from a massage. I had no other option but to…" He trailed off, catching himself before he said too much. He didn't know why he was trying to defend himself to this human woman; his actions required no justification, and he was not particularly sorry or sympathetic for the outcome. He only wished to avoid her discerning gaze.

Chi-Chi continued to ignore him, hoping he might take the hint and leave her alone. Either Kakkarot didn't pick up on her stony attitude, or he didn't care. His questions persisted.

"You're worried about your friends, huh? Don't worry. I gave them a few tips, they should be smart enough to figure out how to get by until we come back for them." And there it was again--now he was reassuring her, as if it mattered. He didn't really care what happened to the other humans.

Chi-Chi scoffed. "If you knew Krillin and Yamcha, you would know they aren't smart enough to figure out most things, even with a few pointers." That made Kakkarot grin, and she immediately regretted cracking the joke--the last thing she wanted to do was get friendly with the enemy.

A small sigh from Bulma stole Chi-Chi's attention. After almost a full day of unconsciousness, Bulma's eyes finally fluttered open and she slowly lifted her head from the head rest. "What… happened?" she whispered. Her eyes locked on Chi-Chi immediately.

Chi-Chi opened her mouth to answer before Kakkarot cut her off. "I knocked you out. Sorry." He tried to sound sincere, but he didn't have much experience with sincerity.

Bulma blinked a few times and took in a sharp breath. "You knocked me out? Why… ?" Her brows furrowed as she struggled to recall. "I was pissed, right? I was mad because…"

Her eyes glazed over in sorrow as the memories came barreling into focus. Her breathing grew labored, and she clenched her jaw to bite back mounting tears.

"Hey, you need to calm down or I'll have to knock you out, _again_, and your face kinda hurt my hand last time," Kakkarot said jokingly. But Bulma could sense the threat resting beneath his casual demeanor.

"Fine. No temper tantrums. But I need to talk to him, _now_." Bulma was on her feet and marching towards Vegeta before Kakkarot or Chi-Chi could get a word in.

"Come to join your own kind?" Nappa said, grinning widely, nudging Vegeta with his elbow as Bulma approached. Vegeta was resting his eyes, and he remained still with his arms crossed as she neared him.

"Hey, buddy, we need to have some words," Bulma said, coming to a stop about two feet from the prince. He opened his eyes and glared up at her.

"Buddy?" he questioned. His tone was searing. "Do you know what I usually do to people who talk to me like that?"

"Lemme guess. You destroy their home planets?" Bulma asked, her voice teeming with derision.

Vegeta relaxed, smirking to signal his repose. "A neck snapping usually does the trick," he said. Bulma wasn't fooled by his banter--she knew now that he was just as capable of switching back to all-business mode as quickly as she was.

"Hah, if she's mad about that whole Earth thing, I can't wait to see how she'll react when she finds out what we did to those pitiful quasi-humans," Nappa threw in, much to Vegeta's chagrin. That wasn't the most tactful way to lay bad news on a temperamental Saiyan.

"Nappa, you fucking idiot!" Vegeta growled. He did not want Bulma restrained for a second time. He needed her conscious.

Bulma's eyes widened, finally sensing that the chi presences of her other two friends were no longer in range. "Krillin and Yamcha? What did you--"

"They're fine. They're alive," Chi-Chi reassured quickly, though she hardly believed it herself.

Bulma wasn't entirely convinced, either. "But they're not on this ship, I can't feel them. _Where are they_?" She turned back to Vegeta, who was on his feet now, ready for damage control if his intervention became necessary. He was going to try being diplomatic, for once. Avoiding confrontations was not one of his strong points.

"If you ever want to see your friends alive again, you will do exactly as I say," he said, motioning for Bulma to follow him below deck so that they could have a more private conversation. So much for diplomacy.

Bulma exchanged a quick glance with Chi-Chi, a mixture of worry and determination on her face as she grudgingly followed the haughty prince.

Vegeta was right about one thing. To keep Krillin and Yamcha out of danger, she would do _whatever_ he asked. But she didn't know just how vigorously that conviction would be tested in the coming months.

***

**A/N:** Hmm, this unintentionally turned into a Chi-Chi/Kakkarot chapter. Wasn't on purpose, but it works, right? And before you go thinking I should have just left Krillin and Yamcha out of this story, know that I have big plans for them. They're going to play a crucial part in this story, but it's something I want to keep under wraps until the perfect moment. I'm excited about it, and everything else that is to come. Thanks for reading, guys! You're the best.


	6. No Way Out

**Chapter 6: No Way Out**

...

Bulma stayed quiet as she followed behind Vegeta. She was hyper-aware of his vulnerability with his backed turned to her, but something told her it could never be so easy. Any shot she got in would be a lucky one, and it would take more than luck to save her. He had her now, and it was his plan all along - with Yamcha and Krillin hidden in space, she could do nothing but grudgingly cooperate with his every wish. Too bad it wasn't in her blood to take commands.

When they descended below deck, Vegeta securely closed the access door leading back up to the others. A thin outline of light from above surrounded the door, and it was the only light source in the room. An involuntary chill ran through her when Bulma turned to face her captor. The dim light cast his stony features in shadows.

"First..." Vegeta started to say, before a swift movement behind her captured Bulma's attention. She heard the distinct crunching sound of tearing ligaments before she felt the pain. She cried out in shock and fell forward on her hands and knees. The pain was everywhere at once, and for several frenzied moments she could not detect the epicenter of the intense aching. As it faded, she pinpointed the origin to her lower back and felt around for the wound, finding only a short stub of fur where a very familiar appendage had once been attached.

"My tail!" she moaned, struggling to stand upright. She already felt off balance without it.

"You'll get used to it," Vegeta said. His grip loosened on the the now useless extremity and he let it drop to the floor. Bulma eyed it enviously.

"Why?" she breathed.

"Because you're not a Saiyan. You're a human."

"But I thought you said... ?"

"You will play human if you want to survive. You don't know the history of the Saiyan race and I don't care to provide you with a lesson, but here's the short version: Frieza is threatened by us. Can you imagine what he would do knowing there is a female Saiyan in existence? Do you know that you're the only one?"

Bulma tried swallowing, but her throat was dry. "I gathered that. Are you saying that he's afraid we might... re-populate?"

Vegeta nodded; she was quick, at least.

"Is that why you... need me?" The very idea sent waves of nausea through her body.

Too quick.

"Intriguing idea, but no. It would take too long... even though Saiyans do have much longer life spans than your average human." The lie was effortless. She didn't need to know about his eventual plans, not yet.

"Alright, then how can I help? I can hardly stand for Kami's sake!"

"We need numbers. Frieza is mine, but he has dozens of loyal followers we need to bypass before we can get to him."

Bulma shook her head in disbelief. "I don't get it. I can hardly take you on, but you expect_ me_ to make a difference here! I don't care which galaxy you're from, this plan of yours makes no sense in any of them."

Vegeta's face betrayed his growing frustration. He was disturbed by her nonchalance. He knew she should fear him; after all, she had many things at stake. Her friends. Her life. Still, these things she was willing to set aside in order to assert her dominance, which on a weak planet like Earth was something she was probably used to - being stronger, better, more agile and more skilled than everyone else. Earth had spoiled her. This was the driving reason behind her insolence. She refused to be intimidated, even after he destroyed her planet and stranded her friends on a dangerous, nameless planet. Instead of inspiring fear, he only strengthened her determination. Although his attempt to gain her cooperation would be successful, since he knew she would do anything to rescue her comrades, he was gaining it at his own expense: by commanding her services, he was inadvertently asking for her help, a weakened state with which the Saiyan Prince was almost completely unfamiliar. He had her temporary allegiance, but she still had the power. Did she know that?

"When we return to Frieza's ship," Vegeta said, "You will mask your chi. I know you did it on Earth, so don't bother denying it. I also know that you can sense a chi presence without a scouter… You will teach it to us. It may be the only good thing to come out of that weakling planet."

"You can't do that? It's basic!" Bulma exclaimed, almost snickering to herself. "Amazing how lazy technology can make you. You never needed to sense chi on your own, so you never learned." She nodded at the scouter fastened to the side of his face.

Vegeta emitted a low growl, and Bulma quickly backed up. "Hey, calm down. I'm just saying… It's nice to one-up the enemy every once in a while."

"Spend five minutes aboard Frieza's ship, and I guarantee that your definition of enemy will change," said Vegeta. Bulma frowned.

"And what if I don't?" she said.

"What if you don't what?"

"What if I don't want in on this plan? What if I don't want to hide my chi? What if I don't want to step foot on that stupid ship at all?"

Vegeta smirked and stepped forward, leaning over so that his mouth was inches away from her face. Bulma stayed very still.

"What if we never go back for your friends?" he whispered.

Feeling his warm breath against her face sent another chill down her spine, and Bulma indignantly watched his back as he returned to the upper deck. No; he wasn't vulnerable. Not even for a moment.

...

"It's no use, Yamcha!" Krillin said, dropping to his knees and letting his chi fizzle out. "We've been flaring our chi for two hours now. No one's coming. It's hopeless."

Yamcha fell to the floor beside Krillin, weak and defeated. "Maybe you're right. I never thought it would end like this..." He fought back desperate tears as exhaustion and hunger finally took over.

"I think it will be quick, when the sun rises. I doubt this planet has much of an ozone layer. It'll be like one really really bad sunburn..." Krillin said, letting his body go limp. It was freezing, but his body was going numb. It wasn't entirely unpleasant. He wondered if it would be anything like the first time he died... when Tambourine had kicked him so hard in the forehead that it ended his life instantly. But back then, they had the dragonballs...

"Hey, is that the sun?" Yamcha asked, interrupting Krillin's reflections. He blinked several times, focusing on a faint flare in the distance.

"It doesn't really look like sunlight, but what do I know? Maybe it's a mirage."

"I think it's moving! What is it?"

Yamcha was right; it was moving, and it was approaching quickly. It didn't take long for them both to sense the life energy coming from the light source.

"What do you think, Krillin... Friend or enemy?" Yamcha asked. His numbing body grew tense, and he arched back into a defensive crouch, bracing himself.

"I'd say we're about to find out..." Krillin said, following his comrade's example.

The foreign being was only a few meters in front of them now, and they could just make out its appearance. It was shrouded in a bright golden light and had a humanesque figure, except that it was covered in dark, leathery skin. Krillin found himself comparing the being to a flying crocodile wearing body armor.

It came to an abrupt halt in front of them, and when he spoke, his voice was clear and deep. "Who are you?" He narrowed his yellow eyes suspiciously.

Yamcha nudged Krillin. "Go on, answer the guy," he said. Krillin rolled his eyes.

"I'm, er, Krillin, and this is Yamcha. We're from Earth," he said.

"How did you get here?"

Yamcha piped up. "Some crazy monkey-Saiyan guys left us here and took off with our other friends. We're stranded... Please don't kill us."

The creature looked thoughtful. "Frieza's henchmen," he muttered, then turned his attention back to them. "I am Luklar. I have also been imprisoned here. Follow me - we must get underground before the sun rises."

Krillin and Yamcha did not need to be told twice. They mustered up the remnants of their strength and took off in the air, following Lucklar and hoping they weren't flying towards death.

...

"What did he say?" Chi-Chi asked as soon as Bulma returned and sat beside her. Bulma mouthed "later" and stayed silent, staring into space from the window. She replayed the horrific image of Earth's explosion again and again in her head.

"We're stuck, Chi," she whispered at last, still staring out the window. "They want my help, but I can't do anything. I'm not... I mean, you saw what those Saiyans can do. How can I help? It's ludicrous."

Chi-Chi said nothing, the expression on her face fixed and blank. Suddenly, both women were shaken from their reveries as their small spaceship sputtered and jerked, and the lights flickered on and off.

"Holy fuck!" Radditz cried from the pilot's seat.

"What the hell was that?" Vegeta cried angrily, rushing to Radditz's side to examine the control panel.

"This piece of crap just shorted out," said Radditz. "Don't worry, the power's back on. Maybe it was a fluke..."

"Idiot! Did you have this ship fully serviced before we left?"

The look on Radditz's face told Vegeta the answer was clearly a negative. Vegeta cursed under his breath and pushed Radditz out of the cock pit.

"Don't get all worked up, Vegeta," said Kakkarot. "Everything's fine now."

As if on cue, the ship began shaking more violently than before, and the lights went out again. They did not come back on. Suddenly, the atmosphere was eerily silent.

"You were saying, Kakkarot?"

"Well... no gravity means no crash landing, right?" said Kakkarot feebly.

"Oh, sure. But then there's the issue of our oxygen supply running out. No big fucking deal, really," growled Vegeta.

"Oh right. I didn't think of that..."

Silently, Bulma and Chi-Chi watched the four Saiyan men argue and fret over the faulty space ship. Several times, Vegeta attempted to fix the ship by re-wiring the controls, but to no avail. Radditz also made an attempt, but he was equally unsuccessful. Nappa took his frustrations out on the ship by kicking the wall furiously. Nobody would let Kakkarot near the control panel, as they all agreed he would do more harm than good. They started debating over which one of them should go outside the ship and examine the engine.

The whole time this was happening, Chi-Chi kept shooting furtive glances at Bulma, wondering when she was going to intervene. "Bulma," she said quietly. "You can fix this, can't you?"

Bulma frowned. "Most likely. I don't know for sure, though. It's an alien spaceship! And do these guys really deserve to be saved?"

"Are you kidding? If they die, we die! And I'm human, I'll die before any of you, I can't hold my breath for more than a minute," Chi-Chi exclaimed, eyes wide with worry and fright.

Bulma sighed. "Right, I know. Obviously I'm going to _try_ to fix it. But watching them squirm is... gratifying, you know?"

"Well if you're done getting your kicks, Bulma, I think I'm already starting to get light-headed."

Rolling her eyes at Chi-Chi's melodramatic comment, Bulma rose to her feet and approached the men.

"Excuse me! I think I'll take a look. Give me a suit and some tools and I'll check the engine out," she said, intercepting a very heated argument between the four Saiyans.

They all stared up at her, bewildered.

"What are you talking about? You think you can repair this ship?" Vegeta asked, his voice thick with suspicion.

"Look, I'm not going to make a run for it, or whatever you're thinking. I'll have you know that the man who raised me was a renowned inventor and mechanical engineer on Earth, and he taught me everything he knows. I guess you could say I'm technically a genius."

"You mean, you can fix shit?" said Nappa incredulously.

"I guess you could say that. Yes, I can fix shit."

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her. "If you even attempt to get away, I'll make sure you never see your human friends again."

Bulma scoffed. "Blah blah blah. That threat is getting old. Get me suited up and I'll fix this junky spaceship."

Grudgingly, Vegeta allowed Bulma to don the only space suit they had on board and he and the rest of the ship's inhabitants watched her float slowly through the surrounding atmosphere with a rusty old toolbox tucked under her arm. She disappeared for several moments underneath the ship, and within five minutes the lights were flickering back on and the engine roared to life once more.

When Bulma returned to the ship, she discarded the musty old space suit and proclaimed happily, "Piece of cake. I thought alien technology would be more sophisticated."

She took her seat next to Chi-Chi, who looked relieved but weary. After several seconds, Kakkarot spoke up.

"So... she's even more useful than we thought, huh?" he said, a wide grin spreading across his face. His comrades' stunned expressions told him they silently agreed.

...

**A/N:** And I'm back! That was, what, over a year without an update? If you're still reading, I am both surprised and grateful. If you're just starting, welcome! I apologize for the long wait, I had a hectic couple of semesters at school and I am in the process of applying to law school now, therefore I am furiously studying for the LSAT. I will try my best to update more often. As always, feedback is appreciated. Thank you for reading!

Also, I was reading through my chapters and noticed that the little dividers I put in between sections of the chapters have all gone missing! I used to use *** but now I'm using - to signify scene changes. I'm not sure why the *** disappeared, but I'm concerned that is disrupts the flow of the chapters, so I may go through and fix that at some point…


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